Hi, I’m Sola. 👋 Welcome to GlamInvest: For Entrepreneurs in Fashion, Beauty, and Wellness

Before I delve into the content of GlamInvest, I’d like to take a moment to introduce myself.

My name is Sola (pron. Shola) and I’m a product leader and accredited investor living in the Bay Area of California, originally from Lagos, Nigeria.

I grew up as the only girl in a family of five, and from an early age, I was enchanted by the world of fashion, beauty, and wellness through my mother's daily rituals. Watching her choose her outfit for work, apply her signature red lipstick, and spritz herself with perfume captivated me.

Like my mother and countless other women, I've invested my time and resources in exploring endless beauty products, following fashion trends, and embracing various wellness regimens. I even had the opportunity to dabble briefly in modeling for the award-winning African designer, Deola Sagoe, and my work was featured on CNN.

My 15 seconds of fame on CNN as a model for Deola Sagoe in 2010.

But beyond the glitz and glamour, I’ve maintained deep curiosity about the business side of things—the numbers, the profits, the marketing strategies. I started my career in finance, diving deep into income statements and balance sheets, qualifying as a chartered accountant and then consulting for diverse industries like banking and oil and gas. But my desire to work in the D2C industry always remained.

I chose to follow it and through some pretty aggressive networking, got to consider some incredible opportunities with Swarovski in Barcelona and Tommy Hilfiger in The Netherlands. It ended up not working out for visa reasons, but I eventually struck luck with Adidas, working out of the Headquarters in Germany in the Group CFO’s org.

At Adidas HQ, Herzogenaurach, Germany. 2013

There, I got to mingle with the brilliant minds behind the business of apparel including designers of Stella McCartney's Adidas team. I even formed connections with the Adidas-Yeezy team, bringing me one degree closer to the iconic Kanye West during his prime. Unfortunately, I left long before Beyoncé collaborated with the company for her groundbreaking IVY PARK deal.

After a touch rugby match with my Finance team at the Adidas HQ soccer pitch

Like many other immigrants, education was my entry point to the United States. I secured a full scholarship to go to Harvard for my MBA, where I got to immerse myself in the intricacies of successful companies like Tatcha, Kiehl's, and L'Oreal, to name a few.

During my time there, I also had the privilege of meeting with industry mavens like Alexandra Wilkis-Wilson (co-founder of Gilt and GlamSquad) and organizing the annual Retail and Luxury Goods Club conference, attracting powerhouses like Glossier and Rebecca Minkoff.

With Rebecca Minkoff, Creative Director at Rebecca Minkoff. 2015

At the GlamSquad HQ in New York with Alexandra Wilkis-Wilson, founder of Gilt and GlamSquad

Leading a session at HBS with executives from Diesel, Alice + Olivia, Converse

In the following years, I continued to hone my business skills at companies like McKinsey and Meta, where I dedicated myself to building products that bring joy to users.

But amidst these incredible experiences, I found myself faced with a dilemma - I wanted to have more skin in the game. I’d been a long-time consumer in the “glam” industry, but I wanted to participate as a contributor. However, I wrestled with the decision of choosing a venture that would be both financially viable and deeply fulfilling.

It occurred to me that this struggle is likely shared by many entrepreneurs and investors who yearn for the right balance.

After dozens of hours on Google and YouTube, I realized there was an opportunity to close the knowledge gap and deliver actionable insights on what it took to launch and succeed as an entrepreneur in the business of fashion, beauty, and wellness - how the successful ones did it, what strategies they adopted, etc.

And so, I made a decision—to dive deeper. Rather than keep my findings to myself, I want to channel my curiosity and knowledge to provide valuable insights for others seeking informed decisions in running their businesses while addressing the unique needs of women.

And so I invite you to join me on this transformative journey with GlamInvest. For this early phase, my focus is on helping to bridge the knowledge gaps and help demystify what it takes to be successful in this industry.

By documenting my discoveries and insights, my mission is to empower you to make better decisions in the glam industry. Together, we will unravel strategies that cater effectively to the unique needs of women, paving the way for success in the captivating world of fashion, beauty, and wellness.

Sola